The Bears are riding high into the new year. Their 37-17 blowout win over the Falcons felt like an important momentum builder heading into next week’s season finale and the offseason. It felt like proof positive that the team is on the right track. Good vibes abound.
But let’s be real. This team still has work to do before it can consider itself a real contender in the NFC. There are still holes on the roster that need to be filled. There are still questions that need to be answered. There’s room for growth throughout the organization.
To that end, here are three New Year’s resolutions for the Bears.
FIND A WAY TO RETAIN JAYLON JOHNSON
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Heading into this season there was no question about Johnson’s ability as a coverage corner. The question was whether or not he could start taking the ball away, as Matt Eberflus wants. Johnson answered that question in a big way this year with four interceptions, one forced fumble and a touchdown to boot.
Johnson rose to the challenge the Bears presented him. Now it’s up to the Bears to make sure he stays a Bear, whether that’s with a hefty new contract or with the franchise tag. Johnson’s a homegrown player, one of the most talented athletes on the team, and he’s just 24 years old. He’s at the top of his game and he’s well-respected in the locker room. Just about any way you look at it, Johnson looks like a cornerstone player who deserves to stick around beyond his rookie deal.
ADD NOT ONE, BUT TWO WIDE RECEIVERS
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The Bears filled a huge hole when they traded for DJ Moore last season. He’s been everything the team needed in a WR1. But for whatever reason, no other wide receiver has been able to produce consistently in this offense. Darnell Mooney never got in a groove, Chase Claypool was hardly on the field and Velus Jones turned out to be better as a horizontal game threat than a well-rounded passing attack threat. The team’s true No. 2 option is tight end Cole Kmet.
If the Bears want to generate more explosive pass plays, they’ll need more playmakers. Fortunately for them, this upcoming draft class is filled with enticing talent. If they decide to draft two of those wide receivers, great. They can use some of the cash they save on other important positions. If not, they should be sure to bring in a proven playmaker to act as WR2 or WR3 when free agency opens.
ADD KEY PLAYERS IN THE TRENCHES
The one football cliché that rings true the most for the Bears is “everything starts up front.” On defense, the Bears have the most success when they can get home with their four defensive linemen, and their four defensive linemen alone. That’s part of the reason why Montez Sweat has been such a force multiplier since he arrived. If the Bears don’t need to blitz to create pressure, they can have more players stick in coverage, and with more guys in coverage they can create more takeaways. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and defensive tackle Justin Jones are not under contract after this season. If the team moves on from either player, they’ll need to be replaced.
The same is true for Lucas Patrick on the offensive line. If the Bears decide to go in a different direction at center, they’ll need a new starter in the middle of the line. Further, the team has a decision to make with Bears veteran Cody Whitehair. The former Pro Bowler still has value as a versatile player who can slide in at guard or center, and he’s been a consummate pro throughout his Bears tenure. Further, players look up to him and voted him a captain in 2022. But as the Bears shuffled their line this year, Whitehair ended up being the odd man out. He’s set to have a $13.25 million cap hit next year, and that’s a lot of money for a backup. One has to wonder if the Bears opt to move on from Whitehair as well, considering they’d save over $9 million if they cut him. Protecting the quarterback is paramount, and the Bears offense runs through the run game, so further investments on the offensive line need to be made.
